March 15, 1997
What's your idea of vacation fun? Might it be slogging through knee or waist-deep water for 45 minutes, raking the ocean floor in search of dinner? If it is -- and you appreciate really fresh seafood -- then consider visiting a "U-rake-it" clam farm.
More than 2,000 tourists flocked to the experimental prototype in Hatteras, N.C., during the 3 months it operated last summer. Most came as families, with kids in tow. And they appeared to have a great time, says Jim Murray, a specialist in marine-resource management with North Carolina Sea Grant in Raleigh. He developed this novel approach to "nature-based tourism" together with Kevin Midgett, a local clam nurseryman. Midgett's company raises some 2 million to 5 million clams each year for the restaurant trade.
"My family used to rent a cabin near Provincetown on Cape Cod. One of my best memories," Murray recalls, "was going out with my brother at low tide and digging up surf clams." With the fruits of their labor, his dad would cook up a big batch of chowder. For a boy from central New York, this was pretty exotic.
Suspecting that many visitors to coastal communities would enjoy a similar experience, Murray took advantage of research funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to explore the idea on North Carolina's Outer Banks.
Apparently, Murray's intuition was right. Preliminary results of a survey that he's analyzing finds that 82 percent of the 500 visitors he has polled would come back, and fully 98 said they'd recommend the experience to friends.
As the aquatic equivalent of "pick-your-own" farm produce, these clams offer benefits to both the nursery and tourists. Customers not only go home with a first-hand appreciation of clamming but also, usually, their daily limit of the bivalves -- 100 per person, all at the wholesale cost of 22 cents each.
It was the same price Midgett charged restaurants for his clams, and about 25 percent less than consumers would have paid at the local fish market. The nursery also collected $3 per person admission at the gate for entrants 12 and older. This financed the rakes they provided, the salary of the individual who trained tourists in clamming techniques, and the management of the attached store (which sold insect repellent, sunscreen lotion, and other sundries).
Though most start-up businesses don't make a profit the first year or two, this one did. An economist observing this project found that even though the fledgling enterprise made some mistakes -- and suffered substantial downtime when two hurricanes swept through the region -- Midgett netted about $2,900 a month for this sideline to his traditional operation.
Midgett, who is taking the U-rake-it business fully commercial this season, beginning April 1, will raise slightly prices, including the gate fee, and hopes to earn substantially more.
Currently, Murray is developing a report -- what he describes as a "how-to" manual -- based on the experimental operation. Its slated for publication later this year by Sea Grant. In addition, he has been bombarded with calls to share his findings.
"I just got back from the Pacific Northwest Shellfish Growers Association, where we spoke about the project to 200 growers," he notes. His team is also on the program of the North Carolina Aquaculture Association annual meeting, the Massachusetts Quahog [clam] Farmer's Forum this month, and the National Aquaculture Extension Conference next month.
As a result, Murray expects to see more and more visitors along U.S. coasts getting the opportunity to opt for clammy recreation.
What do you do with a clam?
Some people like to knife open a clam, scoop out the contents, and eat it raw. However, because this and other types of shellfish can harbor parasites and pathogenic microbes, health officials caution persons with chronic disease or weakened immune systems to eat theirs fully cooked.
The following are a pair of recipes shared by North Carolina Sea Grant for enjoying such cooked clams.
Down East Clam Chowder
Serves 8 to 10
In a large saucepan, fry pork over medium heat until crisp. Remove pork and discard. Add clams, water, onion, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and cook slowly until the clams are tender, about 90 minutes. Add potatoes and cook until done, about 20 minutes more. If you wish to thicken the broth, add instant potatoes and simmer another 5 minutes.
Steamed Clams in Wine Broth
Serves 6
Scrub clams thoroughly with a stiff brush under cold, running water. Place wine and 2 tbs. of margarine in the bottom of a large pot with a rack or steamer. Insert rack and stack clams on top and cover. Place over high heat and bring the wine comes to a boil. Then reduce the heat and steam the shellfish for 6 to 10 minutes -- until clams open. Remove clams and arrange them in a shallow soup bowl. Pour wine broth over and serve with melted margarine (for dipping) and lemon wedges.
Related Readings:
The following brochures and booklets have been prepared by various Sea Grant programs around the country and are now available, some for a small charge, through the addresses or phone numbers given after the document.
Cullenberg, P., and Bolger, J. 1991. Shellfish in your front yard: Healthy food from healthy waters (Doc. #WSG-AS91-10), Washington Sea Grant, HG-30, University of Washington, 3716 Brooklyn Avenue, NE, Seattle, WA 98105-6716 (Tel: 206-543-6600).
Gall, K. 1985. Buying hard clams (Doc. #NYEXT-G-85-004), New York Sea Grant Institute, 115 Discovery Hall, SUNY at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5001 (Tel: 516-632-6905).
Kemp, P.S. 1991. Clam gardening (Doc. #UNC-SG-91-02), North Carolina Sea Grant Program (Tel: 919-515-2454).
Manzi, J.J., and Castagna, M. 1989. Clam mariculture in North America, South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, 287 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401 (Tel: 803-727-2078).
Taylor, J. 1988. Breaking into bivalves (Doc. #UNC-SG-88-02), North Carolina Sea Grant Program (Tel: 919-515-2454).
Sources:
Kevin Midgett
Hatteras Village Aqua Farm
56406 North Carolina 12 Highway
Hatteras, NC 27943
Tel: 919-986-2249
Jim Murray
North Carolina Sea Grant
Box 8605
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-8605
E-mail: jim_murray@ncsu.edu
This week's Food for Thought is prepared by Janet Raloff, senior editor of Science News.
Illustration: Wendy Temple.
Photo Credit: H Bresee/North Carolina Sea Grant.
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